Born June 29, 1962 in Jersey City, New Jersey, but considers Rochester, Michigan to be his hometown. Married to the former Elisa P. Walker of Raymond, Mississippi. They have one child. Recreational interests include weight lifting, running, bicycling, scuba and boating. His mother, Sofia Zamka, resides in Lake Mary, Florida. His father, Conrad Zamka resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.

EDUCATION:

Graduated from Rochester Adams High School, Rochester Michigan, in 1980; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy in 1984; received a Masters of Science degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1997.

Navy Strike Air Medal (6), Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, and various other military service and campaign awards. Distinguished Graduate, United States Naval Academy. Commodore's list and Academic Achievement Award, Training Air Wing Five.

EXPERIENCE:

Zamka was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps following graduation from the United States Naval Academy in May 1984. He graduated from the Marine Corps Basic School in December 1984. Upon completion of Naval Aviator training he reported to Navy Attack Squadron VA-128 for initial A-6 training in August of 1987. He then reported to Marine All Weather Attack Squadron VMA(AW)-242 in El Toro, California. While assigned to VMA(AW)-242, Zamka made an overseas deployment to Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. He attended the Marine Aviation Warfare and Tactics Instructor Course and was assigned as the Squadron Weapons and Tactics Instructor. In 1990, he was selected for and completed F/A-18 conversion training and was assigned to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA(AW)-121, also in El Toro, California. He flew the F/A-18D Night Attack Hornet during overseas deployments to Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Southwest Asia. Zamka flew 66 combat missions over occupied Kuwait and Iraq during Desert Storm. In 1993 he served as a forward air controller with First Battalion, Fifth Marines in Camp Pendleton, California and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) aboard USS Belleau Wood in the Western Pacific. He was selected to attend the United States Air Force Test Pilot School class 94A and graduated in December 1994. Zamka was then assigned as an F/A-18 test pilot/project officer and the F/A-18 Operations Officer for the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (NSATS). While assigned to NSATS, Zamka flew a wide variety of tests in the F/A-18 Hornet to include high angle of attack, loads, flutter, and weapon system programs. Major Zamka returned to VMFA(AW)-121 in 1998 and was serving as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer, deployed to Iwakuni, Japan when selected for the astronaut program.

He has logged over 2700 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE:

Selected by NASA in June 1998, he reported for training in August 1998. Astronaut Candidate Training includes orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques. Following a period of training and evaluation, Zamka will receive technical assignments within the Astronaut Office before being assigned to a space flight.

NASA Group 17 - 1998 Requirement: pilot, engineer, and scientist astronauts for space shuttle flights. Nickname: The Penguins. Originally called the Dodos by the Sardines, after an extinct flightless bird; they renamed themselves after a flightless bird that eats fish... More...

STS-120 Crew: Melroy, Zamka, Parazynski, Wheelock, Wilson, Nespoli. ISS assembly mission. Delivered the Harmony module to the station, and external work moved the P6 truss to its final location and put the ISS into its full-power configuration for the first time. More...

ISS Finally completed in 2010 after a torturous 25-year development and production process, the International Space Station was originally conceived as the staging post for manned exploration of the solar systrem. Instead, it was seemed to be the death knell of manned spaceflight. More...